


Break My Heart and Strip Me Bare

by ScarletYeager



Category: One Piece
Genre: Ace is protective, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Implied Sexual Content, Kissing, M/M, Sanji is an asshole
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:34:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22025647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarletYeager/pseuds/ScarletYeager
Summary: Zoro gets a call from the last person he thought he would ever hear from again. Why now? And what does he want?
Relationships: Roronoa Zoro/Vinsmoke Sanji
Comments: 8
Kudos: 149





	Break My Heart and Strip Me Bare

**Author's Note:**

> Man it has been a WHILE. I am still working on Heart of Flames but this would not get out of my head so here we are :) I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!
> 
> EDIT: I only just realised the first few paragraphs of this story didn't copy over! So sorry but I've added them back in so hopefully the story starts of with a bit more sense!

The shrill ring of his phone jerked Zoro out of the sweet darkness of sleep. He groaned and flung his hand out blindly for the damn noisy thing. He answered it without looking, his head still buried under his pillow.

"What." 

There was a beat of silence before whoever had decided to wake him up blew out a breath. He almost hung up in annoyance, ready to go back to sleep when the person finally decided to speak. 

"Still not a morning person I see." It was said in a small voice, tentative but still trying to be teasing. A voice that Zoro would recognise anywhere.

His eyes flew open and he sat up, which he quickly regretted as the room spun around him. This wasn't ok. None of this was ok, especially this early in the morning. Memories bombarded him, memories of blonde hair, smooth skin, powerful limbs. Good memories. Then the hurt that followed. 

His heart had started to pound as he had the quickest meltdown of his life. He pulled his knees up and put his head on them, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. He needed to calm down. 

Gathering strength from some unknown part of himself, he sat up and took a few deep breaths and felt the shaking in his limbs calm slightly. He concentrated on a random spot on the wall as he willed his heart to calm the fuck down.

It didn't work.

He tried to push everything back, shove it away before it could dig in but he wasn't awake enough. He had been caught off guard and now those harsh memories came pouring in and he couldn't figure out how to stop them.

He must have stayed silent for too long because he was pulled back to the here and now by that same small voice.

“Zoro?” It was unsure, in no way was it the confident cocky tone that he was used to hearing. He frowned, fisting the sheets underneath him with his free hand in a death grip to try and ground himself as he finally found his voice.

“Sanji? Why…” He couldn’t finish his sentence. He had too many ways to finish it. Why was he calling? Why now? Why did he sound so small and unsure? Why did he have to do this when Zoro was finally getting his shit together again? He couldn’t decide what to ask first so he just left it.

“Zoro I…I just wanted…I was wondering if...umm….” He trailed off and Zoro was half tempted to just tell him to spit it out when the other man exploded on the other side of the phone, making him flinch at the sudden volume in his ear.

“FUCK! Why is this so hard!?” He sounded so frustrated and Zoro heard him breathe in slowly and then back out again. He started again, much quieter than before.

“Iwantedtoseeifyouwouldgetadrinkwithme?” He said in a rush and it took Zoro a second to realise what he had asked. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. He knew he really shouldn’t, it was still too raw for him. But if he was being completely honest with himself, he really did want to go. He badly wanted to see the cook again even if it was just a one time thing. Hell that was what had started this whole shit show in the first place which is why he was hesitant. 

There was a long silence as Zoro tried to figure out what to say. It was heavy and he could hear Sanji's irregular breathing over the phone as his mind fought back and forth between what he should do. He let out a long breath and before he could say anything Sanji started speaking again.

“You don’t have to at all I ju-“

“Yeah.” He cut off the beginning of Sanji’s rant and felt his heart lodge in his throat as the word left his mouth. There was a pause and for a moment Zoro thought he had said the wrong thing, but wasn’t this what Sanji wanted?

“You will?” He sounded incredulous, like he hadn’t thought Zoro would agree at all.

“Yeah.” He was mentally slapping himself for being so blunt but he didn’t really know what  _ to _ say so he left it at that.

“Ok cool, that’s good, awesome ummm are you free tonight? I mean if it’s too short notice I understand bu-“

“Yeah tonight’s good.” Again he cut the blonde off. He was trying his hardest to stay calm and indifferent but the longer he heard that voice the harder it became. There was a pause on the other end followed by another exhale.

“Is Shaki’s ok?” Zoro was glad he had suggested somewhere close to his house because in all honesty he wasn’t sure how this was going to go and he didn’t want to end up lost in some unknown part of town after having his heart ripped out for a second time.

“Yeah be there at 7.” With that he hung up and dropped his phone as if it had burned him. He felt his hands tremble slightly and he buried his face in them. He had no idea what to think, couldn’t come up with any reason as to why the cook would want to talk to him and he definitely didn’t know why he had said yes. He should know better, should know that this was a horrible idea but that just seemed to be what happened when it came to Sanji. Zoro could never help himself, he was just drawn to the man despite everything that told him it was a bad idea. 

He flopped back onto his bed and stared at the ceiling. It had been 5 months since he had last spoken to Sanji, 5 long and hard months that had left Zoro drained and moodier than usual. 

Sanji had started as a one night stand. Just one night of pure indulgence for two strangers. A simple one night stand, even if that one night had blown his mind in more ways than one. He had woken the next morning feeling sated and content and Sanji was nowhere to be seen.

It had been a surprise to them both when they had been introduced to each other at Luffy's birthday. They had pretended not to know one another and at first it was awkward as all hell. Sanji was preparing food so they at least had the excuse to stay in separate rooms for most of the night but as the night continued and the food ran out, he had found himself seated next to the blonde on the couch. 

They traded insults with each other, small ones at first until it had turned into a heated argument and physical blows and they were told to take the fight outside.

They had. It was a good fight, fast, hard and full of surprises on both ends. By the end of it they were both laughing and breathing heavily lying on their backs in the grass. 

Zoro wasn't sure who started it or if they had both somehow moved at the same time but he had found Sanji's mouth on his. 

One night turned into two and as they were continuously thrust into each others company by their friends and somehow always ended up in the same place as they had that first night, they had decided friends with benefits was a good idea. No strings, no feelings, just good sex when they wanted.

Thinking back on it Zoro realised how stupid that had been. Sanji had a way of pulling him in and even now he couldn't escape him. 

Zoro had fallen and fallen hard. 

At first it had confused him. Jumbled thoughts and weird fluttering feelings. He had tried to work it out, figured it was just a phase. Again looking back Zoro realised how stupid he had been. 

He sighed as he remembered back to that horrible night.

_ Zoro sat half draped over Sanji, head on his chest as he came down from his high. He felt fingers brush through his hair and hummed in contentment. He closed his eyes and let the feeling of those fingers lull him to sleep. Just as sleep was about to claim him a single thought flitted through his mind. _

_ “What?” The sudden sound of Sanji's voice and the way he tensed under Zoro had him coming back from the brink of sleep in the blink of an eye. Shit. He hadn't said that out loud had he? _

_ “What the fuck did you just say?” Sanji pushed him off of him so that he could look into his face. Zoro had argued with himself for a second about whether he should tell him the truth or not but ultimately decided that there was really no going back. _

_ “I said I love you.” He said it softly, slowly, like he was testing the waters. Sanji had stared at him wide eyed for a minute, emotions that Zoro couldn't decipher flying across his face before it settled into a cold mask. _

_ “Get out.” His voice was void of emotion and Zoro flinched. _

_ “Sanji, it doesn't have to cha-" he was interrupted as a foot violently pushed him out of the bed and he grunted as he hit the floor. _

_ “I said get the fuck out.” Sanji said icily. _

_ “What the actual fuck cook!” He stood up slowly and looked at the man that had gotten on the other side to grab his pants. He pulled them on and then started throwing Zoro's clothes at him. _

_ “We agreed no strings, no feelings, there's no way in hell I'm doing this anymore so get the fuck out.” Zoro gaped at him and then felt anger rising in him. _

_ “You don't have to feel anything for me Sanji but can we at least talk about this?” Sanji had walked over to him and grabbed his chin, grip tight enough to hurt but Zoro said nothing. _

_ “Get. The. Fuck. Out. I don't want your love, I don't need your love and I sure as fuck don't love you so do us both a favour and leave.” _

That was the last time he had spoken to Sanji and he had never forgotten those words or the look in his eyes as he ripped his heart out like it was nothing.

Zoro slowly sat up and grabbed his phone. He needed help. Finding Aces' number he quickly hit the call button and waited for the raven to pick up.

“Mmello?” Zoro cringed at the sleepy voice and realised he had just woken him up.

“Ace I need your help.” He heard shuffling on the other end and then Aces' voice returned.

“Zoro what the fuck it's 8:30 in the morning man.” Zoro felt a twinge of guilt but seriously needed his advice.

“Sanji called me.” Silence met him before Ace started yelling.

“WHAT THE FUCK!? WHAT THE FUCK DID HE WANT!? HE HAS N-" 

“Ace.” Zoro cut him off. Ace was the only one who knew the whole story and as much as he loved him for his protectiveness, it's not what he needed right now.

“He wants me to meet him for a drink tonight.” Ace groaned over the phone.

“Gimme 10 minutes.” With that he hung up.

Zoro dropped his phone and got out of bed. He had enough time for a shower and to turn the coffee machine on before Ace got here.

Grabbing his old sweats and a hoodie he made his way into his bathroom. Turning the hot water on, he let it run as he stared at his reflection in the mirror. He looked like hell. He had worked a night shift last night and had gotten home a little over 3 hours ago. 

Running his hand down his face he stepped under the steaming water and let his thoughts drift. There was no use in trying to think too hard about it until Ace got here so he just let his mind wander.

It was calming and he felt his shoulders relax as the hot water rushed over him. Unfortunately his mind always had a way of looping back to the blonde. 

Sanji had always been complicated. Complicated in a way that Zoro had forever given up on trying to figure out. That's where Ace came in. He had been there from the start, when he and Sanji had been trying to figure out what the hell it was they were doing. He had been friends to both of them. He had been the one that had picked Zoro up from the side of the road at 3am after Sanji had kicked him out. 

Sanji had stopped talking to everyone after that and Zoro knew it had hurt Ace a lot. As angry as he was with the blonde he had tried to reach out, to figure out what was going on. He had been met with silence.

Ace had been the only person Zoro sought advice from even if that was probably a bad idea considering the ravens track record. However Ace just had a knack for knowing exactly what to say and when to say it while staying brutally honest, which is exactly what he needed right now.

He reluctantly turned the water off and stepped out of the shower to dry himself. He slipped on his clothes and had just made it to his kitchen when there was a sharp bang on his door. 

He rolled his eyes as he turned on the coffee machine. Ace could never knock like a normal person but at least he always knew who it was.

He trudged over to the door and threw it open not bothering to see who it was before making his way back to the kitchen.

“Zoro please tell me what the fuck is going on.” Came the eloquent hello.

“Good morning to you too asshole.” He grumbled.

“You woke me up at 8:30 in the morning telling me that the asshole who has ignored our existence for the past 5 months, wants to catch up for a drink with you and you want a good morning?” Ace asked in a deadpan voice.

Zoro smirked at the other man's annoyance. Grabbing two mugs he poured coffee into both and shoved one into Ace's waiting hand. The raven wrapped his hands around the warm mug and a small smile flitted over his face.

“That's better.” He said as he followed Zoro to the couch. 

Zoro sat and Ace flopped next to him but the green haired man didn't know what to say, thankfully Ace had no such worries.

“You said yes didn't you.” It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Zoro cringed but then he let out a sigh. Ace knew him too well.

“Yeah.” He said it quietly, not that he needed to. Ace already knew the answer. 

The raven turned to look at him, eyes flicking over his face, calculating. The silence stretched and Zoro was starting to feel uncomfortable under his friends gaze. He shifted, about to open his mouth but Ace beat him to it.

“You still love him don't you.” Again it was said as a statement but it threw Zoro off. 

He frowned, about to deny it but stopped himself. He thought back to the last few months how fucking hard they had been. How he had drunk himself numb the first few weeks. How Ace had practically punched him to his senses. How he had spent the next few months trying his hardest to forget the blonde and then the day he finally realised it would never happen. 

It had taken days to come to terms with that and then he had finally started to heal. He loved Sanji and always would, even if it was bad for him. 

His silence must have been all the confirmation Ace required. He clicked his tongue and then nodded as if deciding something.

“Alright then if your set on making yourself miserable I'm at least not gonna let you do it alone. Who knows maybe you can knock some sense into that idiots head and we can get our friend back.” Zoro gave him a grateful smile that quickly turned into a frown at the look on Aces face. He was looking at him with his signature grin and Zoro knew that meant nothing but trouble.

“What?” He asked, hands tensing around his mug. Ace put his untouched coffee on the table and grabbed Zoro's arm, nearly spilling his own coffee all over him. Despite his protests Ace just pulled the mug out of his hands and placed it next to his before pulling him to his feet and dragging him back towards his bedroom.

This was bad. Ace was on a mission and it was never good when he had that look on his face. 

He was dragged over to his bed and told to sit. He did slowly as he watched Ace go over to his draws and start pulling random articles of clothing out.

“Ace, what are you doing?” Ace grinned at him over his shoulder and Zoro couldn't help but notice how much he looked like Luffy in that moment.

“If you're gonna do this, then you're gonna make him see  _ exactly _ what he's been missing.” Zoro groaned.

“Don't give me that. Now put these on while I try to find a decent shirt for you.” He said, throwing a pair of black jeans at his head. Zoro caught them mid air and begrudgingly did what he was told. The last thing he needed was Ace trying to dress him himself.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

Four hours later his room was a disaster zone and Ace hadn't found a shirt he liked. He had told Zoro to get himself ready and he would be back later. 

He had no idea what had been wrong with his shirts but he knew better than to question the raven. It was like trying to win an argument with Nami. It just didn't happen.

He started the task of cleaning up his clothes, making sure he kept out the dark blue jeans that Ace had finally approved of, no use in making him dig through his clothes to find them again. It took him longer than it should have but his mind kept returning to Sanji.

He would be lying if he said he didn't care what the cook thought of him. He cared a lot more than he should, which is probably the main reason he had let Ace tear through his room like a hurricane. 

He wanted to look good. He wanted  _ Sanji _ to think he looked good. 

He ran a hand down his face and after making sure everything was back where it belonged he flopped face first onto his bed. 

He was so tired. The lack of sleep and the mornings events had drained him. Feeling fatigue creep into his limbs, he let himself drift off.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

He woke to banging on his door and a muffled voice yelling his name. He groaned as his muscles protested any form of movement and made his way to the door. 

He pulled it open to see a very unimpressed Ace on the other side.

“You fell asleep didn't you?” He didn't try and deny it, just muttered a quiet “Shut up" before stepping aside and letting him in.

“Alright get in the shower you have an hour to make yourself look fucking irresistible.” Zoro raised an eyebrow and just stared at him.

“Are you serious?” Ace just stared right back.

“Of course I am. Why the hell do you think I'm here? Now go.” He grabbed Zoro's shoulders and spun him around, giving him a little push towards his bathroom. 

As he stood under the steady stream of water it finally hit him. He was about to meet up with Sanji. The thought made him feel sick. He was terrified. What did the blonde want? And why now? What had made him reach out after all this time? 

Zoro got out of the shower just so he could get out of his own head. Even if Ace was being a tad ridiculous at least he was a good distraction from all the thoughts he had swirling around in there.

As he stepped into his room, towel around his waist, Ace threw something at him that hit him squarely in the face.

He flinched before grabbing the material and pulling it off him. It was a plain white button up shirt.

“Ace I have so many of these what the hell?” Ace just gave him a deadpan look before throwing another shirt at him. This one was just a plain black tank top.

He sighed but didn't question it, grabbing his jeans from the bed. Going into the bathroom he quickly got changed. Once it was on he would admit that ok maybe his white shirts didn't fit his shoulders  _ that _ nicely and the fact that he was wearing dark colours with it made it stand out even more. He left it unbuttoned and rolled the sleeves up to his elbows. The plain colours made his hair and earrings stand out and he tried his best to smooth his hair into some semblance of neat. 

He took one more look at himself in the mirror before turning on his heel and heading back to his room. Ace looked him over once, grabbed his black boots and threw them at his feet, earning a scowl when one landed on his toes. 

After Zoro put them on and looked up he saw Ace grinning wide. 

“Hot damn Zoro!” Zoro couldn't help but grin back at him. He felt like he could do this now. Felt Aces confidence seep into him. 

“Thanks for your help man.” Aces grin fell a little at the tone of Zoro's voice. 

“Hey, just be careful ok?” Zoro nodded and then looked at the time. 

6:35pm.

He looked up at Ace and he must have seen the panic that had started to take over his confidence. He got up and placed a hand on Zoro's shoulder. It grounded him and he felt his panic ease a little.

“You can do this.” Zoro searched Aces gaze and saw nothing but confidence. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out and opening his eyes. He could do this.

Ace grinned and then moved towards the front door. 

“I'll see you later and call me if you need anything.” Zoro waved as the door shut behind the raven and before his thoughts could turn negative again, he grabbed his favourite leather jacket and shrugged it on. Grabbing his keys, his wallet and his phone he made his way out of the apartment and down the stairs.

The fresh air was a little chilly but it felt good on his face. Helped him keep a clear head. He felt the unease swirling in his gut and tried to ignore it. He was nervous and he wasn't used to the feeling. This was  _ Sanji _ . He had been around him millions of times. He  _ shouldn't _ be nervous but he was and he hated it. 

The walk only took him ten minutes and he was glad he had come early but as he rounded the corner his eyes fell on the man that had been occupying his thoughts since this morning. 

He stopped in his tracks, breath catching in his throat and took a moment to study him. He was leaning against the wall wearing his favourite black shoes, black skinny jeans and a long black coat with fur around the top. He was smoking a cigarette and had his head tipped back against the wall as he looked up into the night sky. 

If anyone had looked at him he would have seemed at ease, simply enjoying the night as he smoked but Zoro noticed the way he tapped the toe of his shoe against the ground. It was a nervous tick he had. When he had too much energy built up. Zoro had seen it a thousand times before they had sparred.

Seeing that made Zoro relax a bit. It put his mind at ease knowing that Sanji was just as nervous as he was. 

He slowly approached the blonde. Sanji didn't notice, too caught up in his own mind. He cleared his throat and the man jumped, eyes snapping to Zoro. They widened a fraction in surprise, like he thought Zoro wouldn't show up, before a hesitant smile spread across his face.

Zoro's heart melted at that smile but he hardened his resolve. He would stay and hear what Sanji wanted to say and then he would go home.

“Hey.” It was soft, not at all what Zoro was used to hearing coming out of Sanji's mouth but he found that he couldn't help but return the greeting with a soft response of his own. 

“You wanna go in?” Sanji looked hesitant, like any wrong move would send Zoro running and to be honest it probably would. He had accepted the fact that he would always love Sanji but that didn't mean he was about to let himself be hurt again.

He nodded and the blonde turned on his heel, leading the way into the bar. He wove in and out of people and was halfway to the bar before he turned to Zoro.

“Grab a seat, I'll get us drinks.” Zoro looked at him for a moment and then nodded, turning away to find an empty booth. 

He managed to grab one near the back, away from the noise of the bar. Hopefully they could talk at a relatively normal volume here.

He took off his jacket, throwing it in the booth before sliding in after it. He watched Sanji for a few moments taking in the sight of him before he looked away, taking in his surroundings, trying to ignore the swirling of his stomach. So far Sanji hadn't acted at all like he thought he would and he didn't really know how to take it. 

He was brought back to the present when a glass was put in front of him. He looked down at the golden liquid, before flicking his gaze up to watch as the blonde took his jacket off. He was wearing a simple light grey sweater that fit him splendidly, somehow managing to show off his fit physique even though it covered his arms and chest. He shifted as something other than nervousness flitted through his stomach and mentally cursed himself. Now was not the time for thoughts like that.

An awkward silence settled over them and Zoro took the time to try and gather his thoughts. There was so much he wanted to ask with no idea where to start. He was also afraid that the blonde would blow up if he asked the wrong question. 

He flicked his gaze up and discreetly studied him again. Sanji was looking into his glass and biting his bottom lip, another nervous tick he has. He looked tired, like he hasn't slept much. Letting out a breath he decides to bite the bullet, sitting here saying nothing was going to get them nowhere.

“So you still working at the restaurant?” He asks. Sanji's head whips up at his voice and he looks a little surprised that Zoro had said anything at all. Zoro just raises an eyebrow when he doesn't get a response.

“Uh..yeah, yeah I am. The old man has me working pretty much all day everyday. Damn slave driver..” despite the situation Zoro finds himself chuckling. Those two would never change.

Sanji gives him a small smile and after that he seems to find his confidence again. 

“You still doing security?” Zoro nods and makes a face. Don't get him wrong he likes the work it's just the hours and the people he deals with. There's only so many times you can have drinks spilt all over you or fists clumsily thrown your way before it gets tiring.

They speak about trivial things, going to great lengths to avoid sensitive topics and by the time he's had a few drinks he's relaxed. 

This is normal. This is what they used to do all the time, sit, drink, insult each other. Zoro knows Sanji has something to say, he can see it on his face when there's a lull in the conversation but he lets it be for now.

They stay there for hours, and it's only when the bartender comes up to let them know that he's closing up do they get up to leave. He moves to put his jacket on and sees Sanji staring at him. A swell of pride goes through him and hiding his smirk, reminds himself to thank Ace later.

They walk out into the night air and he shrugs deeper into his jacket at the cold sting of air. Sanji turns to him and Zoro raises an eyebrow in question.

“Do you mind if I walk with you? I have to go that way anyway.” Zoro notices that the easy going atmosphere has disappeared and it's been replaced by something heavy and uncomfortable.

He nods his head and turns to start walking. Sanji takes a moment to light a cigarette and then jogs to catch up to him. 

They walk in silence, both deep in thought. Zoro watches as the smoke from Sanji's cigarette swirls around them and the smell brings back memories he wishes it wouldn't. He glances to the side to find the blonde staring at the ground with a small frown.

He's had enough of the silence. 

Looking up he sees his apartment building and he slows before coming to a stop.

Sanji doesn't notice at first, too lost in his own head, but after a few steps he stops and looks up then spins around when he notices Zoro isn't next to him. He looks at Zoro questioningly, tilting his head to the side. He takes a deep breath and says the one thing that he knows will ruin the night.

“Why did you really call me out tonight cook?” Sanji's face drops and he looks at the ground. Zoro waits. He needs to know what prompted this whole thing. Even if it takes all night.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

Sanji's heart sinks at the words that just came out of Zoro's mouth. He knew it would come to this eventually. It's the reason he took a chance and called him this morning. He just doesn't know how to say what he wants to say. 

He looks up and sees those intense eyes watching him patiently. Fuck he’s missed those eyes. He thought that when he picked up that phone all he would get was a string of curses and then a dial tone, if that. He definitely hadn't expected Zoro to agree to meet.

Even after they had hung up he had spent the next few hours convincing himself that he wouldn't show up anyway. He had prepared himself for the worst. 

What he hadn't prepared himself for was Zoro showing up looking the way he does and letting him off the hook long enough for them to have a good night. As they had talked and drank he had let himself get caught up in the easy familiarity. He was having fun and Zoro was smiling at him, it was better than he had hoped for. 

So the fact that he had confronted Sanji at the last moment, although not surprising, made him stumble. He had tried again and again to figure out what to say but none of it sounded right. It didn't sound sincere at all.

“I don't even know how to say this.” He mutters. Zoro just raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms but otherwise says nothing. Sanji sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. May as well just spit it out.

“Look what I did, what I said, it was…” he stops to swallow around the lump in his throat before looking up and continuing. “I was fucking cruel and you didn't deserve that at all. You were just being honest.” 

Zoro doesn't move, doesn't give any indication that he cares about what he's saying, except for the fact that he's still standing there.

“I don't even know how to begin to apologize to you but if it's worth anything I'm so fucking sorry Zoro.” He can hear his voice wavering but he can't stop. His words tumble from him like a flood and he just lets them go, hoping beyond anything that Zoro will at least stay until the end. 

“I was terrified when you told me you loved me. People don't love me Zoro, they never have. I didn't know how to believe you and I know that's not any excuse for what I did but that's the truth. It took me a few days to realise that not only had I fucked up any chance I had with you but I had just lost my best friend as well.” He clenched his jaw to bite back his tears and took a deep breath through his nose.

He badly wanted to know what was going on in Zoro's head but he wasn't giving anything away, his face carefully blank. He dropped his gaze, he couldn't keep looking at that cold face he would lose his composure and he sounded pathetic enough as it was. 

“I convinced myself that you were better off without me in your life full stop. I didn’t even give you a chance to speak that night before going berserk so I left it. I tried to move on, I tried to do what I've always done but I couldn't and that scared me the most.” He flicks his eyes up and sees that Zoro's face hasn't changed. It's still cool indifference, damn Marimo and his poker face.

“A few weeks ago I was at a bar and there was a girl. She was beautiful, funny, kind, everything I used to look for in a partner.” Zoro shifts and takes a step at that and Sanji barrels on not wanting him to walk off before he finishes. “But the whole time, the whole fucking time, all I could think about was the fact that she wasn't you.” Zoro stops and he feels those eyes bore into him. He looks up and meets his gaze head on.

“Zoro I realised that I need you in my life. You don't owe me anything. To be honest even after you said yes this morning I was convinced you would decide not to meet me anyway. You can walk away now and I would completely understand, I deserve it.” He clenches his fist at the thought but it's true. “I know I've lost any chance at being anything important to you but Zoro I had to try. Even if it's just as a casual acquaintance I'll take it I just…” He hates how desperate he sounds. Hates the way Zoro's looking at him, like he's picking apart everything he's saying, looking for deception, but he means every word. 

It had been two days after he had kicked Zoro out that he had gone to call him. He had had an absolutely horrible day. He had been about to press the call button when reality had crashed down on him. 

He couldn't do that anymore. 

He couldn't just call Zoro and tell him about the shitty ass customers that had told him how to do his job, or about the beautiful lady that had given him an especially big tip. He couldn't go over to his house when he was bored or call him up to spar when he had too much energy left in him to sleep. 

He couldn't fall asleep curled up next to his warm body and sleep like a log because he had been a coward. Tossed Zoro's heart out the fucking window and just stood there as it got run over again and again. He had done the one thing he never thought he would do. He had turned his back on someone he cared about, hurt them probably beyond repair and all because he had been scared. Scared of someone loving him for exactly who he was. 

“Anything?” Zoro's harsh voice brings him back from his internal pity party and he looks up, not knowing what to expect.

“Even if I just want to fuck you and then drop you?” He feels himself flinch at that but he doesn't look away.

“If that's what you want.” Zoro's brow creases slightly as he studies Sanji and there's a flash of emotion in his eyes but its gone before Sanji can read it, hardening once again. 

He's not sure what to do. The cards are in Zoro's hands now. He waits as Zoro thinks, almost jumping as he suddenly closes the distance between them. He grabs Sanji's arm with one hand almost painfully tight and before Sanji can blink his mouth is claimed, Zoro's other hand coming up to clutch his jaw, moving it to where he wants it. 

Sanji grabs onto Zoro's jacket as he's thrown off balance and can do nothing but submit to the tongue seeking entrance to his mouth. It's not a gentle kiss, far from it. It's hard and his jaw hurts from where Zoro's holding it but he doesn't protest, he enjoys what he can get from the man he had thought would never talk to him again, let alone touch him. 

He's left dazed as Zoro pulls back and grabs his wrist pulling him in the direction of his apartment. He doesn't know where this leaves them but if Zoro's words are anything to go off then he has a pretty good idea of where this is going.

Zoro pulls him up the stairs of his apartment building and only lets go when they reach his floor, walking ahead to unlock the door. 

Sanji falls back and stops a few paces from Zoro. He knows he said he would take anything but he's not sure if he will be able to handle this. He can still feel the heat from Zoro's hand on his jaw and wrist, he can only imagine what it's going to feel like after 5 months. Will he be able to keep his heart out of this?

Probably not. 

Zoro looks back at him as he opens the door and frowns. He steps to the side and stares at Sanji for a moment before tilting his head, indicating the open door. 

Sanji takes a breath and decides to just go with it. He's lucky the bastard’s even considering anything.

He walks slowly through the door into the familiar apartment and he stops just passed the entrance. He hears the door quietly click shut behind him and Zoro taking off his boots. 

He unbuttons his jacket about to take it off and put it on the back of the chair, when he feels Zoro gently taking his jacket off his shoulders for him. He frowns but lets him do what he wants. It's only a few moments and then Zoro's in front of him.

Something's changed. Zoro isn't rushing anymore, the urgency he felt outside has vanished leaving him off kilter. There's a tension rolling off Zoro and Sanji wants to just run his hands through his hair and pull him close but he clenches his fists and leaves them at his sides.

He watches as Zoro sinks to the floor in front of him and carefully undoes his left shoe, tapping Sanji's ankle till the blonde lifts it and he slides it and his sock off, putting it to the side before doing the other. 

Sanji's frown deepens, confused at the gentle treatment but Zoro's standing up again, those dark eyes bore into his and then gentle fingers grasp his wrist and pull him towards the bedroom. 

This is a very different Zoro to the one that had kissed him outside and dragged him up the stairs. He wants to say something, ask what's going on but they haven't spoken since the kiss and he doesn't want to break the weird tension that's settled around them.

They make it to the bedroom and Zoro stops them halfway to the bed. He looks down at Sanji before slowly peeling off his own white shirt, exposing dark tanned skin that ripples over his muscles. Sanji watches as the shirt hits the floor, followed quickly by the black tank underneath. 

Zoro's hands skim his hips and warm fingers slip under his sweater before pulling it up and over his head, landing in the heap next to them. Next his fingers move to the belt in his jeans, swiftly unbuckling it and pulls it out. Sanji wants to touch the chest in front of him but he doesn't dare. This is Zoro's show but damn if he isn't making it hard.

Zoro loops his fingers through Sanji's belt loops and pulls him forward, dropping his head just a little and Sanji thinks he's going to kiss him. But instead he speaks. So low that Sanji nearly misses it.

“Say it.” What? Sanji has to think for a minute what he's talking about, the other man's proximity making him lose focus. But then the reason he's here crashes back into him. He had gotten so caught up in Zoro that he had almost forgotten  _ why  _ he was in this spot in the first place.

“I'm so sorry, Zoro fuck I'm-" 

“Not that.” Zoro cuts him off. “Tell me what you couldn't say 5 months ago.” He sounds so casual about it but the implication of what he's asking hits Sanji harder than if Zoro had actually punched him.

“I..” he falters, never imagining he would actually have to say it. He looks down at his feet, trying to gather the courage to bare his heart the way Zoro had all those months ago. “I'm in love with you Zoro.” It comes out quietly, he doesn't know what he expected but the silence he receives was not it. He pulls back to look up at the other man and sees Zoro looking at him, the muscles in his jaw working as he clenches it.

“I hated you.” Sanji feels his heart drop at the words and can feel the telltale prick of tears at the back of his eyes but he clenches his jaw to hold them back.

“I spent weeks drinking myself numb until Ace smacked me out of it, trying to figure out why I was so stupid, why I had even fallen for you in the first place. And you want to know what the worst part was?” Sanji didn't. He didn't want to hear what he had done to Zoro. He hated himself enough for it as it was but he didn't say anything, just stared down at the chest in front of him. 

“The worst part was that despite what you did, despite what you said, I still loved you.” Sanji had to close his eyes and bite the inside of his cheek to stop the sob that wanted to break free. 

“Say it.” Came the quiet demand. He bit down harder on his cheek and then opened his eyes and looked up. He could see the pain clearly on Zoro's face. He wasn't trying to hide it anymore. 

“I love you Zoro. It took me way too long to realise it but I do. There's nothing in this world that I wouldn't give to take back what I did, what I said.” He looked him in the eyes as he said it, trying to convey just how much he meant it. He would do anything to take that look off his face.

Zoro's eyes flick between his and then drop to the floor for a moment. Sanji felt more naked in that moment than he ever had in front of Zoro and he still had pants on.

“I'm not going to fuck you.” His gaze lands back on Sanji and there's a hard determination there. This was where Zoro let him down. This is where he rips his heart out just like Sanji did to him. He looks down at the fingers still grasping his belt loops. He feels his stomach turn and he feels like he's going to throw up but he steels himself against what he knows is coming, trying his hardest to prepare for the words that will break him more than anything.

“I can't do that, not after all of this.” He can feel his fingernails biting into his palms as he clenches his fists, willing himself not to break.

“There's only one thing I want from you. There's only ever been one thing I wanted from you. Let me show you just how much I love you Sanji.” Sanji blinks as the words process but when they do he squeezes his eyes shut against the tears welling up in them and the sob that he had been holding back breaks free. He feels gentle hands cup his cheeks, lifting his face up as thumbs brush away the tears that have escaped.

He grabs hold of both wrists and opens his eyes to see Zoro looking at him with a concerned frown.

“You...why?” Is all he manages to get out. He never imagined Zoro would still love him. Never imagined he would get a chance but here he is, being concerned and gentle with him.

“Sanji...come here.” Zoro pulls him in and he's surrounded by warmth and the smell of Zoro. He wraps his arms around Zoro's waist and holds on tight, burying his face into his neck.

“To be honest I don't know. But for some reason, you're the one person I can't seem to say no to. I can't deny you Sanji but most of all, despite everything telling me it's a horrible idea, I love you.” Zoro says into his hair. He feels a soft pressure on the side of his head as Zoro kisses him and Sanji tightens his arms, trying to bring Zoro as close as physically possible.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

Zoro can't believe what just happened. He's having trouble accepting that Sanji was really here in his arms and it wasn't just some strangely vivid dream his subconscious had conjured up.

He buries his nose in Sanji's hair and inhales, letting the warmth of the other man seep into him.

What Sanji had said was far from what he had expected and when the blonde man had started to lose his composure he had had to grind his teeth to stop from reaching out to him. 

Watching the strong man practically beg him to be in his life was odd to Zoro and his control had finally snapped when he accepted the worst thing Zoro could think of to throw at him. 

He had seen him flinch at the words, watched as Sanji had resigned himself to Zoro hating him and it had been one of the hardest things to watch. So to erase the look he did the only thing he could think of. He had kissed him. And after months of hurt and rage and telling himself to move on it felt like a homecoming. 

He had been rough, he knows that but the feel of Sanji under his fingers again had made his control slip. He had wanted to pick the blonde up and take him against the nearest wall, to feel every part of him like a starved man. So before he gave into his animalistic thoughts he had pulled away and practically dragged him upstairs.

It wasn't until he saw the apprehension on Sanji's face that he had forced himself to calm down. He needed to make sure that what Sanji had implied downstairs was true. He had needed to hear the words. So he had gently taken his coat and shoes and watched as every touch made sorrow etch itself deeper into the face of the man in front of him.

He had hated every second of that conversation, forcing himself to keep his hands on the loops of Sanji's jeans instead of pulling him in close but now, now he knew the truth. Knew that Sanji loved him and the heavy weight that had sat in his chest was gone.

Pulling away slightly he cupped Sanji's face to get him to look up at him. Leaning down, he kissed the stray tears from his face, feeling the blonde shiver against him. He moves from one cheek to the other, plants a small kiss on his forehead and then his nose, which brings a small smile to Sanji's face. Once he sees that smile he captures those lips in a soft kiss.

He hadn't been lying when he said he was going to show Sanji how much he loved him. He was going to spend all night reacquainting himself with every dip and curve of the strong body pressed flush against his.

He lets his hands wander over the wide expanse of Sanji's back, feeling the shudder that ripples through him as he dips his tongue into his mouth. He feels Sanji grab onto his hips tightly, almost as if he was stopping himself from touching where he wanted. 

He pulls away from Sanji's lips and presses a soft kiss against his cheek, jaw and finally one just below his ear before speaking softly into it.

“Sanji, you can touch me.” He feels Sanji let out a small breath and tighten his grip before letting his head drop onto Zoro's shoulder.

Zoro stopped his exploration of the warm skin under his hands as Sanji lets out another breath, this one sounding a lot shakier than the last.

“Hey, talk to me.” Sanji huffs out a small laugh.

“Please tell me you aren't fucking with me.” Zoro froze. He didn't know why Sanji would think such a thing and as much as he wanted to hit the blonde upside the head for even thinking it he knew it wouldn't help.

Instead he grasps Sanji by the shoulders and pushes him away from him. Sanji glances up at the abrupt movement and his eyes were wet with unshed tears.

“Do you trust me?” Zoro asks quietly.

“Of course I do.” It was said without hesitation and in such a tone that sounded like Sanji was insulted Zoro had to ask. However even the blonde must have been surprised at his own conviction because as soon as the words were out of his mouth his eyes went wide.

Zoro couldn't help the grin that spread across his face at the declaration and he lets out a small chuckle. Sanji's shoulders relax in his grip and he gives a smile of his own. 

Before Zoro could prepare himself Sanji pushes his arms off his shoulders and jumps up, wrapping his legs around his waist. A small grunt of surprise is forced out of him, one arm grabbing Sanji's leg and the other wrapping around his back. He looks up to see him smiling down at him, the look on his face was breathtaking. 

“I don't deserve you Marimo.” Without waiting a breath longer Sanji dips his head and claims Zoro's lips. His hands cupping his jaw, fingers tangling in his hair at the nape of his neck and his tongue dipping impatiently into Zoro's mouth. 

Zoro tightened his grip and savoured the taste of alcohol and tobacco that mixed with something that was completely and utterly just Sanji. He let himself get lost in the familiarity of the kiss, quickly finding the rhythm that they were used to. 

He moved towards the bed and bracing himself with one knee, slowly lowered Sanji on to it and following without hesitation, not wanting to break the kiss. Sanji's legs tighten around him and pull him down against him, wrapping his arms tightly around his shoulders. Finally needing air he breaks the kiss but buries his face into the crook of Sanji's neck. 

He lets the emotions rushing around his head seep through him, the fear, the anger, the unease and lastly, the joy. Until all he's left with is a warm feeling in his chest as he feels Sanji hold him as close as physically possible.

He lets his lips trail over smooth pale skin, feeling the blondes thundering pulse under his tongue. He hears Sanji's breath hitch as his teeth lightly graze his skin. He moves slowly downwards enjoying every twitch and small noise coming from the man underneath him. 

He makes his way down over a strongly muscled chest and stomach, memorizing every dip and curve, every shudder and whimper as he reaquaints himself with all of the blondes sensitive spots. He feels fingers run through his hair and just as he gets to the hem of those damn black jeans he's pulled off and upwards. He looks up at the cook and frowns at the look he sees.  __

Sanji has a complicated look on his face and Zoro hates it. Hates that he's still even slightly uncertain about this. He moves upwards and before Sanji can say anything he claims his mouth in a gentle kiss. Sanji's fingers tense in his hair and he thinks he's about to get pulled out of that kiss so he slides his hands up the cooks sides, up over his shoulders and buries them in his hair. He gently guides his head to the side and deepens the kiss, trying to show him how he feels through his mouth alone. 

When Sanji pulls back it isn't far and he still has his eyes closed as he tries to get his breath back. Zoro leans forward and rests their foreheads together and just waits. He knows Sanji needs to get whatever it is off his chest before this goes any further.

"Are you sure you want to do...this?" He mumbles. Zoro frowns and rubs his nose along Sanji's. 

"What do you mean?" Sanji huffs, irritated and pulls back. 

"This Zoro, sex. I mean I know what you said and I believe you, trust me you have no idea how fucking happy I am but you said you weren't going to fuck me and yet here we are." Zoro blinks and then snorts. Sanji narrows his eyes at him but before he can say anything Zoro leans in.

"You're right, I'm not." He drops a kiss on his cheek and then on his jaw, moving to bite gently on his earlobe. "I believe I said I was going to show you how much I love you. This isn't just a quick fuck anymore Sanji." He pulls back and watches as the blondes face morphs between confused, surprised and then finally settling on something soft he had never seen before. 

"You fucking sap." He says softly as he pulls Zoro into a hard kiss. Sanji devours him and Zoro is happy to let the blonde do what he wants. Fingers dig into his scalp and his back as his own find purchase on a thigh hooked over his hip and the covers beside Sanji's head. He's starting to see stars as the need to breathe becomes more persistent but Zoro is content to let himself drown in the man beneath him. 

Zoro pushes himself closer to the blonde and Sanji groans at the friction it causes. Zoro pulls back to finally get some oxygen before diving right back into that sinful mouth, swallowing the moan as his hips grind down. He's really regretting not taking off his jeans as they become uncomfortably tight and Sanji must feel the same because suddenly he's pushing Zoro off him and struggling to undo the button on his jeans. 

Zoro stops his hands and moves them to the side, he ignores the questioning look Sanji shoots him and flicks the button through its hole and takes his time peeling the tight pants off those long fucking legs. Sanji tries to kick them off faster but Zoro just pins his legs and glares at him until he stops. He chuckles at the pout that forms on his face. 

Once he has the pants on the ground he makes his way slowly up those legs, letting his hands trace gently over them. He feels the muscles twitch under his fingers but Sanji just keeps looking at him curiously. He lets his hands brush up his thighs and then grabs the top of his briefs and pulls them down slowly revelling in every inch of Sanji he uncovers. 

He looks up as he flings the piece of clothing on the floor and sees the downright predatory gaze on Sanji's face. He smirks as he slips off the end of the bed and removes his pants, watching with satisfaction as those eyes rake over his naked form. He casually strolls to his bedside table, ignoring the set of eyes burning holes into the side of him as he grabs a bottle of lube out of the drawer. He looks down and sees that Sanji hasn't moved and he kneels on the bed and dives down for a kiss.

Impatient fingers skim down his back, grabbing his ass in an almost brutal hold. Something close to a growl rises in his throat as those hands pull him down so that they're finally as close as physically possible. The feel of Sanji's warm skin against every inch of him sends a small shiver down his spine and he feels warmth curl in his gut. He buries a hand in the blonde hair and pulls back. 

Sanji's eyes are closed and his breathing has become ragged. He can't help but stare. This was the last place he thought he would end up when he had woken up. As realisation of the situation sinks in Sanji's eyes open and lock onto his. 

"You love me." It's not a question. It leaves him in a bewildered breath, the words hanging between them. Sanji's face softens and a small smile pulls at his lips. Sanji brings his hands up to cup his jaw and he can feel the slight tremble in them.

"Yeah, I really do. God Zoro it terrifies me how much." Zoro closes his eyes as he suddenly feels tears threatening to overwhelm him. He breathes in a ragged breath and then feels Sanji peppering small kisses on his face.

"It terrifies me but no more running. I'm so sorry, Zoro. I'm so sorry." He opens his eyes at the waver he hears in the blondes voice. Sanji has never been so open with him. Has never let him in to see his true fears. He was the type of person that hid behind sarcastic remarks and anger. The fact that he was willing to be this vulnerable, to be the one that jumped first and hoped Zoro caught him made his heart swell. The rush of affection caught him by surprise but he didn't fight it. Not while Sanji was looking at him like that.

"Show me." Sanji wastes no time pulling him down for a kiss. Although the kiss is a little desperate the cooks touch stays soft, almost reverent as he slides his hands down Zoro's chest and up his sides. He gets pulled closer as Sanji breaks the kiss to breathe in his ear.

"Always. Whatever you want and whatever you need Zoro. I'll show you a thousand times over." He shivers at both the words and the warm breath in his ear. This is nothing like he's used to. This is a completely different Sanji. He pulls back to look Sanji in the eye.

"Don't you dare start treating me like one of your ladies cook." He growls. Sanji looks at him for a moment and then bursts out laughing. He buries his face into Zoro's shoulder as he tries to contain himself and Zoro can't help but huff at him. Once his giggles (yes giggles, Zoro will tease him about that later) die down he pulls back a wide smile on his face.

"Of course not you bastard, you're too much of a brute for that." There's a flash of mischievous glee in his eyes and Zoro can't help but smirk as he drops his head and sinks his teeth into the soft flesh of Sanji's shoulder. He hears the surprised gasp and then a long moan as he sucks harshly before pulling back, placing a light kiss on the mark he left behind. 

"Doesn't seem to bother you at all." He grins at how dark Sanji's eyes have become but doesn't get to revel in his smugness for long as Sanji brings his hips up and pulls Zoro down at the same time. A gasp is pulled out of him and suddenly all need to tease the cook flies out of his head, replaced by an urgent need to feel, to taste.

He drops his head down and captures Sanji's smirking mouth with his and rolls his hips down again feeling the groan vibrate in Sanji's mouth as he slips his tongue between his lips. Sanji tightens his hold and wraps his legs around Zoro's hips. 

He had missed how strong Sanji was, how he could handle all of Zoro without a problem. He was the only person he knew that gave as good as he got and he was promptly reminded of every single time those legs had been wrapped around him. How every time Sanji would use it to his advantage but now, instead of flipping them or taking control of the situation he just pulled Zoro flush against him. It was as if he couldn't get close enough but didn't want to rush things. As if for once in his life he was content to just be in the moment and not rushing to find a release. 

It was an unexpected thing but Zoro found that it made him want to show the cook everything he hadn't been allowed to do before. He pulls out of the kiss to pepper small kisses down his cheek, then his throat. He nips lightly at the cooks collarbone and slowly down the chest heaving under him. Gentle fingers thread through his hair and Zoro closes his eyes. 

Zoro and Sanji are known for one thing. They're brutal strength. They sparred hard and fast, pushing each other to get stronger, rougher. Their sex had been much the same. A challenge, hard and fast, brutal and intense. 

This. The gentle hands and soft caresses were new, unexplored territory. As they moved together, reverent hands and soft words whispered into the space between them, Zoro worshipped Sanji in a way that he had only ever dreamt of and Sanji worshipped him in return. 

This wasn't the same as before. This was them finally letting their guard down, this was them finally allowing themselves to show the deepest parts of them. This was them trusting the other to understand and meet them halfway. It was both overwhelming and like a homecoming and if there were tears shed, neither of them mentioned it. Sanji had come back and Zoro was finally allowed to show him what home felt like. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sanji woke up in an empty bed. He panicked for a moment until he heard soft voices drifting in through the open door. He stretched and let himself smile up at the roof. Zoro loved him, unbelievably still loved him. He didn't think he deserved it, but he wasn't going to let his doubts or fears hurt Zoro again. Last night had been both the worst and best night of his life. He had watched the strongest man he knew nearly break and then been allowed to put him back together. He felt calm and quiet for the first time in years, content to let himself bask in the warmth he still felt running through his veins. 

A crash and a curse snapped him out of his daze and he slipped out of bed and grabbed his jeans and jumper, slipping them on as quickly as he could. He walked down the small hallway and stopped in his tracks as he saw a familiar mop of black hair. All the calm and warmth was very quickly wiped away as that head turned and spotted him, freezing him in place.

He glanced at Zoro who was standing behind Ace and he got a small warm smile which helped with the ice in his veins. He hadn't spoken to Ace ever since he kicked Zoro out that night and he knew he had hurt him as well. He just couldn't stand trying to explain why he had done what he did. He had been a coward more than once since that night.

Ace straightened and walked over to him. Sanji tensed but didn't move. He wasn't going to be a coward anymore. He had to live with the consequences of his actions and Ace deserved to confront him however he wanted. Ace stopped in front of him and stared for a moment. He braced himself for harsh words or even a punch, not quite sure how angry Ace was with him. 

"You done being an asshole?" The words were quiet but they slapped Sanji in the face. He nodded slowly and opened his mouth to say something. What, he didn't actually know but he didn't get a chance to find out because Ace reached out and pulled him into a crushing hug. Sanji stumbled at the unexpected movement and after a moment he hesitantly returned the hug.

"We'll talk about it later but I'm just glad you're back you stupid idiot." Ace said and Sanji was mortified as tears sprang into his eyes. He didn't deserve forgiveness that easily but as he looked up, his eyes landed on Zoro and he saw the warm smile still on his face turn into a smirk as if the asshole could read his thoughts. 

"Oi Ace, you're gonna make him cry." Ace pulled back and snorted with laughter as Sanji glared at the green haired bastard. Zoro just turned around and started pulling another mug down from the cupboard. His attentioned snapped to Ace as he felt a punch hit his shoulder.

"OW you bastard what the hell!" 

"Don't ever do that to me again asshole." Ace said and Sanji could see the hurt he was trying to hide. He dropped his hand from where he had grabbed his shoulder and looked at the ground before looking back up with determination. Ace deserved an explanation but he had said later. So for now Sanji just said what mattered most.

"I'm sorry. So sorry for everything." Ace searched his gaze for a minute and then his face split into the grin that both him and his brother were famous for. He threw his arm over Sanji's shoulders and pulled him in for a side hug as he led them slowly towards where Zoro was. 

"We love you Sanji, just remember that. Not as much as that idiot but we do." Ace said quietly.

Sanji looked at him and then turned his gaze to Zoro's back and he couldn't help the grin that overtook his face. He probably looked like a love sick idiot but for once in his life he didn't care. Ace laughed quietly, patted him on the shoulder and then pushed him gently towards Zoro. The green haired man turned and started at how close Sanji was, nearly dropping the mug in his hand. Sanji smiled and before Zoro could recover he leaned in and pecked him on the lips, grabbing the coffee out of his hands as he did.

"Thanks love." He whispered against his lips and he delighted in the small noise that escaped the man in front of him. 

"Oh my god, you guys are gonna be that sappy couple aren't you. Yep cool I'm out before this gets even grosser." With that said, Ace waved and disappeared through the door. Sanji hadn't moved back but he sipped the warm drink, delighting in the fact Zoro had made it just the way he liked it. 

Zoro on the other hand looked like he was making a very hard decision before his face cleared and he took the mug out of Sanji's hand and placed it on the counter behind him. He stepped forward and suddenly dipped down, hands wrapping around his waist and Sanji found himself lifted, spun and deposited on the hard kitchen bench. He would forever deny the little squeak that left his mouth at the unexpected action, but didn't have too much time to feel annoyed because he was suddenly being kissed breathless. 

He relaxed into it and used his legs to pull Zoro closer, hands reaching up to thread into Zoro's hair. He isn't sure how long they stayed like that, time disappeared when Zoro touched him like this and he definitely hated it when Zoro pulled back. Before he could protest Zoro cupped his face and made him look into his eyes. 

"I love you." Sanji swallowed and hated the fact he could feel warmth creep into his face but Zoro looked so serious that his first reaction to shove the man's face away, just to hide how badly those words affected him, was shoved down and he let himself be honest. 

"I love you too you sappy bastard." Zoro grinned and pulled him into a hug, burying his face in the blondes neck. Sanji smiled and pulled him close. This was right. This was how things were supposed to be and he wasn't going to waste anymore time. Zoro was his and he was Zoro's. He almost rolled his eyes at how cliché that sounded but he couldn't stop it, he finally felt like he was home.


End file.
